Washington, United States | AFP | US authorities warned healthcare and scientific researchers Wednesday that Chinese-backed hackers were attempting to steal research and intellectual property related to treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. Organizations researching the disease were warned of “likely targeting and network compromise by the People’s Republic of China,” a statement from the FBI …
Read More »Misinformation flood hampers fight for virus vaccine in Africa
Dakar, Senegal | AFP | The task of introducing a vaccine for the coronavirus faces an uphill struggle in Africa, where a flood of online misinformation is feeding on mistrust of Western medical research. Across the continent, Facebook, WhatsApp and other platforms have been swamped by messaging that characterises vaccine research …
Read More »Grounded flights threaten routine vaccine supply: UN
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Dozens of countries risk running out of vaccines for diseases like measles because of restrictions on flights brought in to tackle the new coronavirus, the United Nations warned on Friday. The UN children’s agency UNICEF called for support to unlock a massive backlog in …
Read More »Virus vaccine research not for sale, Germany says
Berlin, Germany | AFP | Germany’s foreign minister said Monday the rights to coronavirus vaccine research were not for sale, following reports Donald Trump wanted the US to buy exclusive access to a potential vaccine developed by a German biotech firm. The comments, made in an interview to media …
Read More »Arua receives 30,000 doses of anthrax, black quarter vaccines
Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Arua district has received 30,000 dozes of Anthrax and Black Quarter vaccines to manage the threat of the diseases in refugee settlements in Odupi, Omugo, Uriama, parts of Rhino Camp and refugee hosting communities. The vaccines valued at Shillings 90 million were donated by Food …
Read More »Rwanda begins vaccinating against Ebola
Kigali, Rwanda | AFP | Rwanda on Sunday started a voluntary Ebola vaccination programme at its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly virus from its neighbour. All countries in high-risk areas, even if not hit by Ebola, had been …
Read More »EBOLA: 150 complete vaccine trial in Uganda
Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | One hundred and fifty people have received the two doses of the Jansen ZEBOVAC Ebola vaccine during trials that are currently ongoing at EpiCenter Health Research at the Mbarara University Science and Research in Mbarara. The vaccine is currently being used by health workers …
Read More »Researchers suggest interventions to curb use of substandard medical products
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Over 160 researchers and policymakers around the world are calling for action against use of substandard medical products that include vaccines, diagnostics and medicines. This is after the World Health Organisation (WHO) survey found one in ten medical products used in low and middle-income …
Read More »Ministry to resume distribution of recalled hepatitis B vaccines
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health is set to resume the supply and distribution of the recalled Hepatitis E vaccines to patients across the country. The drugs, Texavir, manufactured by Cipla Quality Chemical Industries were voluntarily recalled in July this year due to errors in their packaging. …
Read More »Over 18 Million children targeted in measles-rubella immunization drive
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health has started distributing vaccines for the upcoming Polio, Measles and Rubella immunization campaign. 20 million doses of measles-rubella vaccine and 10 million doses of polio vaccines have been procured for the exercise that kicks off on Wednesday, October 16th and …
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